Well, it' been obvious to me since I was a child, that the human mind is a very powerful thing, and you should never underestimate its power to deceive itself, but, still, it's always fascinating to see that in action. New York Times has an interesting article about a study into hypnosis, showing the actual changes in the brain induced.

And the Guardian has a somewhat depressing account of a recently published study looking at the levels of two "attachment" hormones (vasopressin: thought to help us recognise familiar individuals and live in social groups; and oxytocin: the release of which makes us feel secure and protected, and lowers our stress level) in young children who spent their first couple of years in Romanian & Russian orphanages, before being adopted into American homes. It seems that early experience has had a permanent effect on the way their brains have developed, in regards to the ability to form close relationships. (Although there's still hope; the children are still very young).